Pages

Thursday, May 31, 2012

I had another weird reading month. I didn't think it was that strange, but then I went to look at my list of books read this month and realized that there was definitely something off. A lot of it was good, but not epic good. I'd say this month was pretty mediocre when it came to reading. Except for these five pretties, that were definitely out of control amazing.

1. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue was definitely worth the wait. This book is already long, but my only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. It's always hard to let Kristin Cashore's characters go. But at least you know that they are strong and destined for greatness. Read my review.

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The second book in the Divergent series definitely lived up to my expectations.

3. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Definitely watch out for this fall release. Such a crazy but awesome book. The ending was mean, but still. These characters were so fascinating.

4. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

I love love love Such a Rush. Jennifer Echols never fails to write books that look like they'd have nothing to do with me, but seem to be taken directly from my own life.

What's Next is a new meme hosted by Iceybooks. IceyBooks, and you can participate!
Every Thursday select three-five books that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.
At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

Here are the three I'm trying to decide between right now. If you want a synopsis, click on the book cover and it will either take you to Indiebound or Goodreads. Let me know your votes in the comments!

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

First Sentence: "The snap of the first shot breaks open the afternoon."

First Sentence: "Sometimes, when Ana hovered on the edge of sleep, she heard the patter of feet along the school corridor; she felt her best friend Tamsin close by - a near, warm presence like the imprint of a bed recently slept in; she saw the Board's saloon car pulling up outside the front of school, a white envelope glowing through one of their leather cases, whispering her name, her disease."Why it's on my TBR: England. Dystopia. And the cover is cool.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Synopsis: Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever. (From Goodreads)

This book itself is as much a treasure as sea glass is. Anna's life is pretty enviable, except for the fact that she's dealing with her mother's suicide. Still, the girl lives on the beach, spends her days running on the sand, swimming, tanning, watching hot life guards, and combing for sea glass. Sounds perfect to me. I love the way that these are all the things Anna lives for, what makes her whole, but at the same time the beach is filled with painful memories. That tension was enough to make this book beautiful.

My mom has a thing for beach combing. She doesn't look for sea glass, but she looks for lucky beans and heart beans. After some great memories of beach combing with my own mother, that connection that Anna has with her mom definitely struck a chord with me. The glass they find together become a symbol of where the memories of her mother come from and where the disappeared. From the sea, back to the sea. The ocean gives and it takes - so vast and mysterious it is its own world.

What really pulled my heart into this book was the way Jessi Kirby weaved in mermaid mythology. It was subtle, and came in through paintings or books. Or the way that Anna would imagine her mother as a mermaid. I especially loved the legend of the sea glass and the way that Anna and her mom made up their own story about moonglass. It added enough magic to breath new life into the story. It's a great example of how fantasy and mythology can be come a part of life. How stories and myths can be essentail and healing. It's a truth I live by and it was so lovely to see that coming into a great contemporary novel.

This book is a short snapshot of a moment in a girl's life. It's not enough to heal or move on, but it's enough to start. And Jessi Kirby made that moment as beautiful as possible. If this bok were a piece of sea glass I was lucky enough to find, it'd definitely make my permanent collection.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books Written in the Last 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading in 30 Years

I really hope all the books I love will still be read in 30 years. But, I know that's not probable. So these are the ones that I hope like crazy will still be read/ones I think have a shot at being timeless.

1. Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

This book is so important. It reads like a classic and I really hope that's what it becomes. If I can look back and say this book marks the time period, I will be proud.

2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I can't imagine a world where Harry Potter isn't well known. If any books last, I think it will be these. If I ever have children, I will definitely introduce them to Harry. (It's probably cheating counting this one...but I'm going to do it anywas because the last books in the series were written in the last 10 years...)

3. Paper Towns by John Green

Anything by John Green, really. I think they could make it. Especially since a lot of social context already surrounds these books.

4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I hope the whole 7 Kingdoms series makes it. I think I'll still be reading them in 30 years. Over and over.

5. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

I love this book, but it's mostly on this list just because I'm curious what people will think of this version of the future once we're a little closer to it.

6. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

There are a handful of dystopias in the literary canon. And of course there are tons of new dystopias that are available now. Not all of them can make it, but I sure hope The Chaos Walking trilogy do.

7. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Such a magical book has the power to enchant generations. I'll pass this one on too, if I have the opportunity.

8. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

An awesome fantasy that boils down to the fight between good and evil. I'm realizing that I have a lot of fantasy on this list - and I think it's because they've already taken themselves out of a certain time and place. They already have the power to relate to those who didn't live during this time.

9. Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

I now prefer this version of Robin Hood to all others. I hope the future readers will too.

10. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Another important book that has incredible power. I'd prefer it if bullying stopped, but it's not likely. So this is another one that isn't confined to a specific time period.

If I really stop and think about it, there are some things that I should find wrong with this book. The ending especially left me a little dazed. I had no idea going in that this wouldn't be a stand-alone, so I was a little cranky when the story ended where it did. But still it's so easy to ignore all of those things because this book is just so stinkin' adorable. AND it takes place in Tuscany. So yeah, I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a great summer read.

If I could learn a language just by reading books like this, I think I would be multi-lingual. The real value in this book - the thing that didn't make me feel like I was reading complete fluff - was the language. I think I learned some Italian words - ok, a handful are dirty words - but still. By the end when Violet is having a broken conversation in Italian I found I was trying to figure out what they were saying before I read Violet's translations. And I got so excited when I was right. Plus, that scene where Violet is having her first conversation in Italian was one of my favorites. It's something I can definitely relate to. Because the first time I carried a conversation entirely in Spanish with the woman who owned the pizza shop below my flat was an awesome feeling I'll never forget. Even if it was horribly mangled and slightly embarrasing, there's nothing like thinking you're speaking gibberish and then the other person understands you. Such a cool thing.

Anyways, on to the boys. The Italian boys are a big focus of the book. There's a lot of comparison between cultures. Violet is English, she's hanging out with another English girl and two American girls, so it was fun to read the different way everyone views certain situations. But mostly, they compare the way boys behave. For example - English boys (and I'm going to throw in American ones as well) won't show you they like you so they're stand-offish and they compliment you by saying things like - well you don't look terrible today. And Italian boys will tell you you're beautiful and if they like you, you'll know it. Which obviously seems preferable, and is probably really nice at first, but I was very quick to realize that I so wouldn't trust everyone if they were all really sweet all the time.

Violet is a great character to take us all from England to Italy. She does her own thing, but she's still a great person to be in a group of people. I was annoyed at first that she was constantly comparing the girls she was with and worrying about how she looked when she sat or stood certain ways. But then I realized that I do that too - think if I sit a certain way that my clothes will sit right, and seriously hope that when I walk my thighs don't shake, etc. So I got over that pretty quickly, because that started to make her feel like a real girl.

I will say that some of what happens to Violet through the book seems a little ridiculous, but not enough to take it down in my estimation. I will definitely be reading the companion novel, Following in Love in Italian, because I need to know what happens to Violet.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Georgia from Bitter End

This book affected me quite a bit - if you want more on that read my review. But it was the parts with Georgia that really broke me down. If you haven't read Bitter End, it's about a girl in an abusive relationship. Her mother is dead, her father is distant, and she's isolated from her friends. So Georgia becomes very important in Alex's life. She's her boss, but she's the closest thing Alex has to a mother figure.

It was through Georgia that I really related to the story. I've always worked for families and I've always felt a little like a part of those families. But when I was at school, I worked at a coffee shop. I worked for this amazing woman and she became my mother away from home. She was always caring, she took time to know what was going on with me, she always offered advice, and more than once she voiced her concern when I was hanging around with the wrong boys. So I recognized the importance of Georgia's role in Alex's story.

Since Alex was so isolated, it was easy to see how she got inside her own head and rationalized the violence and anger in her relationship. It was easy to put up a haze around those incidents and give them dream-like qualities. But when she's around Georgia, who can see through her veils and who is able to listen when Alex decides to talk, she makes it real. And then it became devastating.

I just hope that everyone has a Georgia in their life. Whether you need a Georgia or not, she's always a good person to have. It's beautiful when someone cares for you that much, with no strings attached.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart. (From Goodreads)

I am completely in awe with Leigh Bardugo. She has written a book that can stand up to literary masters, has the epic story line that keeps readers enraptured, and the world building that makes it impossible not to believe that somewhere this world exists. It's the kind of world that, like Narnia, has to be possible to get to by finding the right wardrobe or painting.

The way the story opens reminds me a lot of children's classics like in which you recognize that you are being transported across time, into a new world, where everything is just different enough to be magical. It has the echo of fairy tales, but this is so much more than just a fairy tale. I really appreciate the way Bardugo introduces Rakva. It starts with Alina and Mal as orphans, and moves on to them in the military. I loved this aspect of a heroine who is in the military and part of a war that has lasted 100 years. The world is introduced through these two aspects and while nothing is outright explained, the fantastical elements that make Rakva different from our own world are still easy to pick up on. Even more fascinating, is that the fantasy is derivative of Russian culture.

Alina is an incredible heroine. She is one of those girls who is used to having nothing, but she never whines about it or is incredulous at her situation. When she's suddenly thrust into a more extravagant lifestyle, she handles it with so much grace. She has to be the smartest character I've ever read. Despite some trust issues, she knows exactly what she has to do to survive, to grow, and even more she follows through in all of her actions. I so admire this character - she's truly someone you can aspire to be like. The Darkling was so curious. I wanted to know about him. The small amounts of time he spent on the page were enough to make him one of the richest characters. He never acted how I thought he would, and the way his story comes forward is brilliant. And of course, there's Mal. Wonderful, sweet, and strong. I love the way Mal and Alina have this history that they both consider to be more important than everything else. They keep each other grounded and the way their relationship fluctuates is beautiful.

What truly impressed me was the physical representations of light and dark. The Shadow Fold is a great concept - a whole stretch of land that is completely enclosed by darkness - that needs to be crossed in order to get to the sea. And the monsters that live there are truly terrifying. But when the Grisha create light and dark with their powers or use their other talents are some of the most vivid scenes I've ever read. I would absolutely LOVE to see this book come to life in film or theater (if that's possible..), mostly because there are some awesome visual effects that could be interpreted here. Bardugo's writing is so incredible that the physical descriptions are vibrant in my imagination already, but I can only imagine that seeing them in real life would be something spectacular.

Shadow and Bone is truly an impressive piece of literature. It's gorgeous, creative, imaginative, and it should be treasured.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Synopsis: When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her.At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself.(From Goodreads)

I read this book knowing before hand that it was going to rip me to shreds. I don't know why I put myself through things like this, but I always feel a little different when I read these intensely powerful books. And I do feel different after reading this one. It seems like a new beginning, after enduring something hard - even if it wasn't actually happening to me.

I don't know why, but my number one fear is getting into an abusive relationship. There's no logical explanation for this fear - I've never felt unsafe and I've never actually seen much violence. I just can't stand the thought of someone that you love and trust taking away your power and your control.

I hesitate to even say that this book is amazing, because it feels a little wrong to put out examples of abuse and say - hey this is great. But I will say that this book is strong. It's a story that carries a heavy weight, but Jennifer Brown doesn't ever make her readers wade through psychological pain and drama. It begins with Alex before Cole, goes through meeting him, falling in love, and then finding herself becoming isolated and her control slowly leeched away from her. Alex is a strong and beautiful character. It's easy to see an abused woman and incredulously wonder why she doesn't fight back, or leave. But I never felt that way with Alex. Brown follows her mental status through the whole thing and you can see the way her mind becomes altered between her emotions and physical abuse.

When reading about abuse, the focus always seems to be on the girl. But I couldn't help wondering through this book - what goes through the abuser's head? Do they choose a certain type of girl? Or is it just whoever seems to come into their path? Do they see that she has friends and family and actively think - I need to get rid of them? Do they hit and then think - oh, I better do something nice to keep her around? I've never really thought of these things, but for some reason I was yearning to get into Cole's head so I could analyze and understand his actions.

I think the reason this book was so effective in breaking me down was Brown's incredible portrayal of Alex's interior process. I found myself getting upset with her friends for abandoning her - even though it makes perfect sense why they do. I was frustrated with her father and sister for giving Alex reasons for finding solace elsewhere. And I was thoroughly shocked that I was able to distance the actual abuse, as if it was happening somewhere else. It was when people said things that indicated they knew something was going on, or Alex actually talked about it out loud, that it became real. I couldn't believe I hadn't felt that intensity when it was happening, but only when others saw it as well. When the people who cared about her became involved, I lost it. Alex is a strong character, but the people who can pick you up when that strength is tested are just as important.

I don't know how others will react. My reactions were intense and emotional because of my own fears. Even so, Brown has an impressive skill for dealing with a touchy subject. She is a wonderful writer, and I'm going to pick up Hate List as soon as I can and I'm definitely anticipating Perfect Escape, out in July. Based off Bitter End, I believe she has a talent for telling the stories that need to be told, to be heard.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Synopsis: What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns? (From Goodreads)

This wasn't a book I was even going to pick up - until so many people started raving about it. A lot of people seemed a little bowled over by how awesome this book turned out to be. And I think the hype actually got to be a little much because I was then expecting much more. Basically, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but I was let down as well. It was good, but it didn't have that greatness to it that I came to hope for. There are a few things I love and a couple that could send me off on long rants.

So let's start with what I love. This really is a unique take on demons and angels. I didn't believe it when I heard people say this. It's kind of hard to believe in unique views anymore - they always seem to be derivative of something or following some kind of obvious pattern. But I really don't think I've read any kind of fallen angel novel like this before - and I've read a lot. Fallen angels are always super human and seem to have control. But these ones are complete slaves to this extra power they have. They have to answer to the higher powers - the actual demons - and their punishment is pretty intense. There's really no way out - their choices boil down to: be bad and lead others into temptation or be tortured for eternity. Which clearly sucks.

I also love that Wendy Higgins took the seven deadly sins - and a few other grave sins - amplified them, and gave each character their own sin that they were trained to tempt people with. But all these sins are things that teenagers either dabble in or carry around with them - lust, addiction, envy. If you're forced to indulge in these sins all the time, would they really be that attractive? It's an interesting twist on sin.

So the core principles of this story were great. The cast of characters were wonderful. But I had some issues with Kaidan. *gasp* I know. He's dreamy. I can see that. But seriously. He's the son of lust. He's never been loved a day in his life. He doesn't know what it means to love. He makes this very clear. The only thing I appreciated about him was that he answered all of Anna's questions and never claimed to do anything "for her own good." Well, maybe he did once - but that really was for her own good and it wasn't a situation where he took away Anna's control "for her own good." It's clear they have a connection, but really it's one of those situations where I can't see it ever working out. Especially because she'd basically have to put up with him hooking up with other girls all the time, just because of who he is. Nope. Can't get on the Kaidan fan wagon. SORRY.

There were moments in this book where I was wondering if the extraneous information was necessary. It's a long book and I definitely feel like it didn't need to be that long. There are some things I feel could have been cut or condensed. Particularly in the first 100 pages or so. But even with my few problems with this book, I definitely enjoyed reading it. I'm very excited for the next installment in the trilogy and I'm anxious to find out more about Anna and the other demon children.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I don't want to give you all another review of Insurgent. It's a huge book right now, plenty of other people have already written great reviews. Here are my thoughts in a couple sentences: I thought it was awesome, it made me cry, and it left me screaming for book three. I love Four and Tris, but I could also probably rant about their relationship for hours. But this was a stellar second book in the Divergent series. If you want to read other Insurgent reviews, I'd suggest checking these out:Refracted Light Reviews ::: Book and a Latte ::: Good Choice Reading ::: YA Book Bridges ::: The Life of Fiction :: Sash and Em

What I do want to talk about here is revolution. I'm going to warn you now that if you haven't read Divergent, you should probably stop reading this post (because I'll probably spoil a few things) and go read the book instead.

I came to this topic because of my mother. She's currently editing her novel that is set during the Russian Revolution and she was reading passages to me that involve chaos and terror. My mom's a brilliant writer, so I was actually brought to tears, and it wasn't just because these characters were in the middle of something violent that they couldn't control but because those characters are representative of real people who actually had to endure such terror. We got to talking about revolution and she brought up her conflicted emotions when, last fall, she was writing these scenes and people were calling for revolution in the States. She questioned whether people really understand what revolution really is.

Which is where I want to go with this. What is revolution? Its goal is to overthrow a system or government or a radical change in social structure (adapted from dictionary.com). These things don't just happen and rarely do they happen peacefully. But the idea of it, I think, has become an ideal. Something that we hold as a possibility. Something that we all hold on to. Other people have been able to rise up and change things in the past, so if we need to, we could do it again. Through history and literature, the notion has become a romantic and hopeful possibility. But I think it's important that revolution is also coupled with this chaos and terror that is so often glossed over. For every man who dies an honorable death, there are, at least, handful of people left to mourn him. A handful of people who have to adjust to devastation and loss.

As much as we all hope for it, peace on Earth isn't likely. We all have different ideas and values, which doesn't always lend itself to sharing and hugs. But we can't wage war over every disagreement. So where do you draw the line between just being unhappy with the current structure and instigating an overthrow of that structure? When is revolution called for?

So coming back to Insurgent, I can't help but wonder if revolution was the answer here. Maybe Tris and Four aren't exactly leading a revolution, since they were victims of the first overthrow of power, but they act like revolutionaries. They spend the book finding refuge where they can and planning ways to change the order of power. There were a lot of hard decisions everyone had to make. After Erudite kind of takes control everyone is sort of suspended in inaction. The Dauntless faction reached a point where they had to do something and I really can't imagine what else they'd do. But when it culminates in assembling troops and rebelling with violence, I felt very uncomfortable. Because here's the other thing - people wind up on different sides for different reasons - and sometimes an individual may not be getting all the information. Their choice in alliance can be innocent, uninformed, or maybe even passive. Yet, when it comes to revolution, everyone is exposed to violence. I'm sorry if this is slightly spoilery, but I promise it won't completely alter the book if you haven't read it yet - but the moment a minor character who's allowed a few quips and lines, enough to make him a real person, is killed and they barely bat an eyelash, I became angry with the characters in the book.

I'm bordering on rambling here, so I'm going to wrap this up - but what I want to say is Insurgent really got me thinking about the way revolution is portrayed in literature. We read this story through Tris, who was trained in Dauntless, who believes in action and so in some ways there are violent actions that are glorified. In other ways, it is depicted as tragic. But when that minor character dies and it barely registers in the story line, I have to wonder if it's a desensitization to the tragedy and chaos that accompanies revolution. His death is glossed over, chalked up to the cost of revolution, and somehow that cost is deemed worth the outcome.

So the system wasn't working, and their aren't a lot of options. I really don't know what other choices there are to make in situations like this - but I think it's important to keep in mind that even in fictional representations of revolution, those people still represent others who have actually lived through such horror. It's not glamorous. It's not always worth the cost.

These are just a few thoughts I thought I'd put out there. What do you think about the way revolution is portrayed? I'd really like to know your thoughts.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Kopano from Sweet Evil

This book was one of those cases where I'm pretty sure I was rooting for the wrong guy. Because I completely adored Kopano. He has this incredibly intense background, but he's managed to get away from that and rise above it. Of all the Nephilim, he's the only one who seems to have a handle on controlling his temptation. Plus, he's sweet and patient. And despite his nature, he's actually kind and considerate. He showed some interest in Anna, and I really wish more would have been done with that. I mean, he can't really compare to the son of lust, but he's by far the healthier choice in this situation.
I'm not crazy. I get why someone - especially teens - go for the hot guy who's all temptation and tortured soul. Most time I prefer the bad boy - sometimes that's hard to resist. Generally I would have cheered Kaidan on through the whole book. But, I don't know. Something about Kopano got to me. I think it's that he knows how things are and he's trying to do what's best for everyone else. He's not first on his list of people to take care of. He's there to watch over everyone, keep them in check, and keep them from getting into trouble with the wrong people.

I so hope Kopano gets a bigger role in the next book, because I definitely want to see more of him.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Welcome to my stop on the Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Portrait of a Book. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

Whats up for grabs here? One winner will receive their choice of one of the following books:

The details:

One (1) winner will receive one (1) book of his/her choice from the three pictured above.

You must be 13 or older to enter.

This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.

This contest will run until May 23.

Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.

Synopsis: Eight years afterGraceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.(From Goodreads)

The wait for Bitterblue was so worth it. I've fallen so in love with the world Kristin Cashore has created. Every time one of her stories ends and I'm pulled back out of that world, I mourn a little. I love the Gracelings, but it was really kind of cool that this time around the main character was ordinary. I mean, other than the fact that she's the queen of her own country, she doesn't have a grace like Katsa, and she's not a monster like Fire. She doesn't have any extra power to help her out. Still, she's incredibly smart, she's determined, and she's fierce in her own right. I was really proud of who Bitterblue turned out to be.

Bitterblue has the daunting task of rebuilding her country after her father's destructive reign. Her job is even harder since everyone is still trying to protect her, they keep secrets from her, and most just flat out lie to her. She has this group of people she is supposed to be able to trust, but once she starts seeking out the truth she figures out that there are very few people she can actually rely on. I have to give props to Bitterblue, because she never stopped trying to figure out what was real and what atrocities her father committed - she kept on digging for the truth, even as it got worse and more painful as she went along. She went to extraordinary lengths to right the wrongs of King Leck and to give back whatever had been taken. Some of the passages in which Bitterblue discovers the things her father was up to were some of the hardest things I've read in YA lit, but they're important. That could have easily been glossed over, but Cashore doesn't shy away from the grittier aspects that often get lost in historical record - especially when it's so close that people don't want to remember.

The characters in this book are beautiful. Even the evil ones are written so well. There's motive, history, and futures surrounding each character, no matter how small. Everyone is important and integral to the plot, even if they don't actually make physical appearances. So impressive. I loved seeing Katsa and Po a little bit father down their own story line and seeing that they are still a huge part of Bitterblue's life. I loved Teddy and Saf - the boys she meets in her nighttime wanderings that lead her to story rooms (I loved the story rooms - can we please make these real things?). After she catches them stealing a gargoyle from the castle wall (who steals gargoyles?) I knew they'd have a special place in my heart. Teddy loves words and books, so he's awesome - and Saf has a Robin Hood complex and I love him for that.

The ending wasn't as resolved as I would have hoped. I was let down at the end and I couldn't figure out why it was so unsatisfying. Then I realized it was just because it was over. I don't even think an epilogue detailing the way all the characters end up in the end would have tied it up for me. I want to read Bitterblue's entire life in detail. I never wanted it to end. If I could slip between the pages and disappear into this world, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Synopsis: Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated. (From Goodreads)

This book is completely adorable. I found myself reading this straight through, just because I was so wrapped up in Charlotte's life and the different paths all of her relationships are taking. I wasn't completely expecting the music and band element, but that was a nice surprise. I always like when characters are able to come out of their shells in a big way, and gaining the courage to sing in front of other people is definitely a great way to show that transformation.

I loved that this book isn't straightforward. It doesn't have a formula or a point A to point B kind of plot line. Charlotte's life feels real and a little messy. She tries something out and it doesn't work. She tests out a direction and realizes it's not taking her where she wants to go and she turns back. She gets lost quite often - both figuratively and literally - but she uses the people in her life as guide posts to find her way back. One of my favorite scenes in this book is one where Charlotte and her best friend, Trip, are wandering around a residential area and they get lost, compose a song about Hansel and Gretel and how they used bread crumbs to find their way back, and in the process find themselves un-lost. That scene is kind of the epitome of the whole book, and I kind of like it as a metaphor for life too. Some times you do get lost, but if you're lucky, you have someone there with you to turn it into an experience and to help you figure out where you need to go.

My only issue with this book was the way that girl friends are portrayed. Obviously, this came up, given the title. I knew there'd be some sort of comparison between being friends with boys and being friends with girls. Both gave her problems, but the boys always chilled pretty quickly and those problems were resolved pretty well. The girls in this book though, had pretty much no redeeming qualities. They were either fake, or scattered, self involved, uncommitted, or catty. A couple might have been leaning towards okay by the end, but they still had that image slapped onto them. I have to say that there are some girls who make pretty awesome friends and I kind of wish all those relationships hadn't just been dismissed.

I also have to say that once I hit the last four pages, I kid you not, I literally read each page twice because I didn't want it to end. Then I finished it and read those four pages all together two more times. I was grinning like crazy and I went to bed feeling so happy. Just thinking about them now, makes me giddy. Ah, so cute. I definitely loved this book, and especially coming into summer, this is a great one to read and lift your spirits.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Not only does The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab come out in paperback today, but to celebrate its release, "The Ash-Born Boy" is finally up over at Disney*Hyperion's website!

So what IS "The Ash-Born Boy"?

It's a free story that Victoria wrote as a thank you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer one question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"

Now, if you've already read The Near Witch, "The Ash-Born Boy" is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven't read The Near Witch yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should read Cole's story!

And if you want to wait and read The Near Witch first, it's no problem. Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free.

AND

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, The Archived, which doesn't come out until January!

So what are you waiting for?

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of The Near Witch!

This week's topic is: Top Ten Authors Who Should Have Their Own TV Show

I love this week's topic. To me authors pretty much are celebrities, so I definitely think some of them should be on TV. I'm thinking either these people should all be thrown together in some sort of Survivor scenario. Possibly, they'd all be great in a Saturday Night Live situation. Or like The Real World for literary people. That'd be sweet. But I'd be content if these people just had their own talk shows.

1. Sarah Rees Brennan

The first person that came to mind when I saw this weeks topic was Sarah Rees Brennan. I've actually thought this for a long time. She's completely hilarious, pretty much uncensored and quite clever. I met her at YallFest in Charleston last fall, and she just has amazing energy and charisma. Someone NEEDS to give this woman her own show.

2. Karsten Knight

The second person that came to mind. After watching his YA Rebel and other YouTube videos you'll get it too. He's always entertaining and my stomach always hurts from laughing for three minutes straight. Plus, he's not bad to look at...ya know?

3. Myra McEntire

I've loved Myra McEntire since I became aware that Hourglass existed. I've been a loyal twitter follower and reader of her blog (and books of course). She's always fun and sometimes a little serious. But it was this conversation between Myra and Rachel Hawkins that leads me to say - these two should host their own show together.

4. Rachel Hawkins

See reasoning for Myra McEntire, above.

5. Shelley Coriell

After reading Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe and knowing that Chloe lives in her brain I'm pretty sure she would be delightful on a TV show.

6. Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer is adorable. I met her at YallFest too and she has an amazing presence. Also, in the final competition between authors, she did an awesome job playing an evil teacher who walked around with a raven on her shoulder. I also believe she was one of the people who coined the term, "sexy times." So that could be fun.

7. John Green

Well, he already kind of has his own TV show. I don't think I need to explain...

I think Kiersten is one of those cases where I like the books so much because the author rocks. She's got a huge personality and I love the things she says. Plus, all the "bleeping" would probably make my life.

10. Kirsten Hubbard

I definitely think Kirsten Hubbard should have a traveling show in which she periodically reads from Wanderlove and/or says wisdomous things that come from travel experiences. Yeah? Anybody else?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Johanna from Insurgent

There weren't too many new characters in the follow up to Divergent, but I found the leader Amity was a great addition to this world. Don't get me wrong, half of the book she drove me up a wall - but I think she's supposed to. She's a more passive person and the story is narrated by Tris, and "passive" is not in her vocabulary. Mostly, I think I like her because she's created as a representative of the Amity faction, a faction that only makes a very brief appearance in Divergent. During the whole blogger challenge in the lead up to Insurgent's release, I was definitely Team Amity. It's kind of a hippie faction - peace loving, tree hugging and all. So between their absence in the first book and my own allegiance to the faction, I was so curious about their role in Insurgent.

So that's were Johanna comes in. She is the spokesperson for Amity. All of Amity makes their decisions together and Johanna relays those decisions. She's also the one who brings things to the faction to be discussed. Of course, no faction is perfect, so we also find out through her what those imperfections are. But the real reason I think Johanna is so important in this book is in her polar opposition to Tris. Even though we don't really know too much about Johanna, I'm willing to bet that the things she and Tris have in common could be counted on a hand. Yet, when it comes down to the wire, they are on the same side working for the same thing. Both are characters you can root for, they just take different approaches to solve a problem.

I can imagine that Johanna has a really great story and knowing she has a story - a past that's shaped her into who she is and where she is headed - is what makes her a great secondary character worth talking about.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

I had another weird reading month. I didn't think it was that strange, but then I went to look at my list of books read this month and realized that there was definitely something off. A lot of it was good, but not epic good. I'd say this month was pretty mediocre when it came to reading. Except for these five pretties, that were definitely out of control amazing.

1. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue was definitely worth the wait. This book is already long, but my only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. It's always hard to let Kristin Cashore's characters go. But at least you know that they are strong and destined for greatness. Read my review.

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The second book in the Divergent series definitely lived up to my expectations.

3. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Definitely watch out for this fall release. Such a crazy but awesome book. The ending was mean, but still. These characters were so fascinating.

4. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

I love love love Such a Rush. Jennifer Echols never fails to write books that look like they'd have nothing to do with me, but seem to be taken directly from my own life.

What's Next is a new meme hosted by Iceybooks. IceyBooks, and you can participate!
Every Thursday select three-five books that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.
At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

Here are the three I'm trying to decide between right now. If you want a synopsis, click on the book cover and it will either take you to Indiebound or Goodreads. Let me know your votes in the comments!

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

First Sentence: "The snap of the first shot breaks open the afternoon."

First Sentence: "Sometimes, when Ana hovered on the edge of sleep, she heard the patter of feet along the school corridor; she felt her best friend Tamsin close by - a near, warm presence like the imprint of a bed recently slept in; she saw the Board's saloon car pulling up outside the front of school, a white envelope glowing through one of their leather cases, whispering her name, her disease."Why it's on my TBR: England. Dystopia. And the cover is cool.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Synopsis: Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever. (From Goodreads)

This book itself is as much a treasure as sea glass is. Anna's life is pretty enviable, except for the fact that she's dealing with her mother's suicide. Still, the girl lives on the beach, spends her days running on the sand, swimming, tanning, watching hot life guards, and combing for sea glass. Sounds perfect to me. I love the way that these are all the things Anna lives for, what makes her whole, but at the same time the beach is filled with painful memories. That tension was enough to make this book beautiful.

My mom has a thing for beach combing. She doesn't look for sea glass, but she looks for lucky beans and heart beans. After some great memories of beach combing with my own mother, that connection that Anna has with her mom definitely struck a chord with me. The glass they find together become a symbol of where the memories of her mother come from and where the disappeared. From the sea, back to the sea. The ocean gives and it takes - so vast and mysterious it is its own world.

What really pulled my heart into this book was the way Jessi Kirby weaved in mermaid mythology. It was subtle, and came in through paintings or books. Or the way that Anna would imagine her mother as a mermaid. I especially loved the legend of the sea glass and the way that Anna and her mom made up their own story about moonglass. It added enough magic to breath new life into the story. It's a great example of how fantasy and mythology can be come a part of life. How stories and myths can be essentail and healing. It's a truth I live by and it was so lovely to see that coming into a great contemporary novel.

This book is a short snapshot of a moment in a girl's life. It's not enough to heal or move on, but it's enough to start. And Jessi Kirby made that moment as beautiful as possible. If this bok were a piece of sea glass I was lucky enough to find, it'd definitely make my permanent collection.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books Written in the Last 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading in 30 Years

I really hope all the books I love will still be read in 30 years. But, I know that's not probable. So these are the ones that I hope like crazy will still be read/ones I think have a shot at being timeless.

1. Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

This book is so important. It reads like a classic and I really hope that's what it becomes. If I can look back and say this book marks the time period, I will be proud.

2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I can't imagine a world where Harry Potter isn't well known. If any books last, I think it will be these. If I ever have children, I will definitely introduce them to Harry. (It's probably cheating counting this one...but I'm going to do it anywas because the last books in the series were written in the last 10 years...)

3. Paper Towns by John Green

Anything by John Green, really. I think they could make it. Especially since a lot of social context already surrounds these books.

4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I hope the whole 7 Kingdoms series makes it. I think I'll still be reading them in 30 years. Over and over.

5. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

I love this book, but it's mostly on this list just because I'm curious what people will think of this version of the future once we're a little closer to it.

6. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

There are a handful of dystopias in the literary canon. And of course there are tons of new dystopias that are available now. Not all of them can make it, but I sure hope The Chaos Walking trilogy do.

7. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Such a magical book has the power to enchant generations. I'll pass this one on too, if I have the opportunity.

8. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

An awesome fantasy that boils down to the fight between good and evil. I'm realizing that I have a lot of fantasy on this list - and I think it's because they've already taken themselves out of a certain time and place. They already have the power to relate to those who didn't live during this time.

9. Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

I now prefer this version of Robin Hood to all others. I hope the future readers will too.

10. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Another important book that has incredible power. I'd prefer it if bullying stopped, but it's not likely. So this is another one that isn't confined to a specific time period.

If I really stop and think about it, there are some things that I should find wrong with this book. The ending especially left me a little dazed. I had no idea going in that this wouldn't be a stand-alone, so I was a little cranky when the story ended where it did. But still it's so easy to ignore all of those things because this book is just so stinkin' adorable. AND it takes place in Tuscany. So yeah, I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a great summer read.

If I could learn a language just by reading books like this, I think I would be multi-lingual. The real value in this book - the thing that didn't make me feel like I was reading complete fluff - was the language. I think I learned some Italian words - ok, a handful are dirty words - but still. By the end when Violet is having a broken conversation in Italian I found I was trying to figure out what they were saying before I read Violet's translations. And I got so excited when I was right. Plus, that scene where Violet is having her first conversation in Italian was one of my favorites. It's something I can definitely relate to. Because the first time I carried a conversation entirely in Spanish with the woman who owned the pizza shop below my flat was an awesome feeling I'll never forget. Even if it was horribly mangled and slightly embarrasing, there's nothing like thinking you're speaking gibberish and then the other person understands you. Such a cool thing.

Anyways, on to the boys. The Italian boys are a big focus of the book. There's a lot of comparison between cultures. Violet is English, she's hanging out with another English girl and two American girls, so it was fun to read the different way everyone views certain situations. But mostly, they compare the way boys behave. For example - English boys (and I'm going to throw in American ones as well) won't show you they like you so they're stand-offish and they compliment you by saying things like - well you don't look terrible today. And Italian boys will tell you you're beautiful and if they like you, you'll know it. Which obviously seems preferable, and is probably really nice at first, but I was very quick to realize that I so wouldn't trust everyone if they were all really sweet all the time.

Violet is a great character to take us all from England to Italy. She does her own thing, but she's still a great person to be in a group of people. I was annoyed at first that she was constantly comparing the girls she was with and worrying about how she looked when she sat or stood certain ways. But then I realized that I do that too - think if I sit a certain way that my clothes will sit right, and seriously hope that when I walk my thighs don't shake, etc. So I got over that pretty quickly, because that started to make her feel like a real girl.

I will say that some of what happens to Violet through the book seems a little ridiculous, but not enough to take it down in my estimation. I will definitely be reading the companion novel, Following in Love in Italian, because I need to know what happens to Violet.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Georgia from Bitter End

This book affected me quite a bit - if you want more on that read my review. But it was the parts with Georgia that really broke me down. If you haven't read Bitter End, it's about a girl in an abusive relationship. Her mother is dead, her father is distant, and she's isolated from her friends. So Georgia becomes very important in Alex's life. She's her boss, but she's the closest thing Alex has to a mother figure.

It was through Georgia that I really related to the story. I've always worked for families and I've always felt a little like a part of those families. But when I was at school, I worked at a coffee shop. I worked for this amazing woman and she became my mother away from home. She was always caring, she took time to know what was going on with me, she always offered advice, and more than once she voiced her concern when I was hanging around with the wrong boys. So I recognized the importance of Georgia's role in Alex's story.

Since Alex was so isolated, it was easy to see how she got inside her own head and rationalized the violence and anger in her relationship. It was easy to put up a haze around those incidents and give them dream-like qualities. But when she's around Georgia, who can see through her veils and who is able to listen when Alex decides to talk, she makes it real. And then it became devastating.

I just hope that everyone has a Georgia in their life. Whether you need a Georgia or not, she's always a good person to have. It's beautiful when someone cares for you that much, with no strings attached.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart. (From Goodreads)

I am completely in awe with Leigh Bardugo. She has written a book that can stand up to literary masters, has the epic story line that keeps readers enraptured, and the world building that makes it impossible not to believe that somewhere this world exists. It's the kind of world that, like Narnia, has to be possible to get to by finding the right wardrobe or painting.

The way the story opens reminds me a lot of children's classics like in which you recognize that you are being transported across time, into a new world, where everything is just different enough to be magical. It has the echo of fairy tales, but this is so much more than just a fairy tale. I really appreciate the way Bardugo introduces Rakva. It starts with Alina and Mal as orphans, and moves on to them in the military. I loved this aspect of a heroine who is in the military and part of a war that has lasted 100 years. The world is introduced through these two aspects and while nothing is outright explained, the fantastical elements that make Rakva different from our own world are still easy to pick up on. Even more fascinating, is that the fantasy is derivative of Russian culture.

Alina is an incredible heroine. She is one of those girls who is used to having nothing, but she never whines about it or is incredulous at her situation. When she's suddenly thrust into a more extravagant lifestyle, she handles it with so much grace. She has to be the smartest character I've ever read. Despite some trust issues, she knows exactly what she has to do to survive, to grow, and even more she follows through in all of her actions. I so admire this character - she's truly someone you can aspire to be like. The Darkling was so curious. I wanted to know about him. The small amounts of time he spent on the page were enough to make him one of the richest characters. He never acted how I thought he would, and the way his story comes forward is brilliant. And of course, there's Mal. Wonderful, sweet, and strong. I love the way Mal and Alina have this history that they both consider to be more important than everything else. They keep each other grounded and the way their relationship fluctuates is beautiful.

What truly impressed me was the physical representations of light and dark. The Shadow Fold is a great concept - a whole stretch of land that is completely enclosed by darkness - that needs to be crossed in order to get to the sea. And the monsters that live there are truly terrifying. But when the Grisha create light and dark with their powers or use their other talents are some of the most vivid scenes I've ever read. I would absolutely LOVE to see this book come to life in film or theater (if that's possible..), mostly because there are some awesome visual effects that could be interpreted here. Bardugo's writing is so incredible that the physical descriptions are vibrant in my imagination already, but I can only imagine that seeing them in real life would be something spectacular.

Shadow and Bone is truly an impressive piece of literature. It's gorgeous, creative, imaginative, and it should be treasured.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Synopsis: When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her.At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself.(From Goodreads)

I read this book knowing before hand that it was going to rip me to shreds. I don't know why I put myself through things like this, but I always feel a little different when I read these intensely powerful books. And I do feel different after reading this one. It seems like a new beginning, after enduring something hard - even if it wasn't actually happening to me.

I don't know why, but my number one fear is getting into an abusive relationship. There's no logical explanation for this fear - I've never felt unsafe and I've never actually seen much violence. I just can't stand the thought of someone that you love and trust taking away your power and your control.

I hesitate to even say that this book is amazing, because it feels a little wrong to put out examples of abuse and say - hey this is great. But I will say that this book is strong. It's a story that carries a heavy weight, but Jennifer Brown doesn't ever make her readers wade through psychological pain and drama. It begins with Alex before Cole, goes through meeting him, falling in love, and then finding herself becoming isolated and her control slowly leeched away from her. Alex is a strong and beautiful character. It's easy to see an abused woman and incredulously wonder why she doesn't fight back, or leave. But I never felt that way with Alex. Brown follows her mental status through the whole thing and you can see the way her mind becomes altered between her emotions and physical abuse.

When reading about abuse, the focus always seems to be on the girl. But I couldn't help wondering through this book - what goes through the abuser's head? Do they choose a certain type of girl? Or is it just whoever seems to come into their path? Do they see that she has friends and family and actively think - I need to get rid of them? Do they hit and then think - oh, I better do something nice to keep her around? I've never really thought of these things, but for some reason I was yearning to get into Cole's head so I could analyze and understand his actions.

I think the reason this book was so effective in breaking me down was Brown's incredible portrayal of Alex's interior process. I found myself getting upset with her friends for abandoning her - even though it makes perfect sense why they do. I was frustrated with her father and sister for giving Alex reasons for finding solace elsewhere. And I was thoroughly shocked that I was able to distance the actual abuse, as if it was happening somewhere else. It was when people said things that indicated they knew something was going on, or Alex actually talked about it out loud, that it became real. I couldn't believe I hadn't felt that intensity when it was happening, but only when others saw it as well. When the people who cared about her became involved, I lost it. Alex is a strong character, but the people who can pick you up when that strength is tested are just as important.

I don't know how others will react. My reactions were intense and emotional because of my own fears. Even so, Brown has an impressive skill for dealing with a touchy subject. She is a wonderful writer, and I'm going to pick up Hate List as soon as I can and I'm definitely anticipating Perfect Escape, out in July. Based off Bitter End, I believe she has a talent for telling the stories that need to be told, to be heard.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Synopsis: What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns? (From Goodreads)

This wasn't a book I was even going to pick up - until so many people started raving about it. A lot of people seemed a little bowled over by how awesome this book turned out to be. And I think the hype actually got to be a little much because I was then expecting much more. Basically, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but I was let down as well. It was good, but it didn't have that greatness to it that I came to hope for. There are a few things I love and a couple that could send me off on long rants.

So let's start with what I love. This really is a unique take on demons and angels. I didn't believe it when I heard people say this. It's kind of hard to believe in unique views anymore - they always seem to be derivative of something or following some kind of obvious pattern. But I really don't think I've read any kind of fallen angel novel like this before - and I've read a lot. Fallen angels are always super human and seem to have control. But these ones are complete slaves to this extra power they have. They have to answer to the higher powers - the actual demons - and their punishment is pretty intense. There's really no way out - their choices boil down to: be bad and lead others into temptation or be tortured for eternity. Which clearly sucks.

I also love that Wendy Higgins took the seven deadly sins - and a few other grave sins - amplified them, and gave each character their own sin that they were trained to tempt people with. But all these sins are things that teenagers either dabble in or carry around with them - lust, addiction, envy. If you're forced to indulge in these sins all the time, would they really be that attractive? It's an interesting twist on sin.

So the core principles of this story were great. The cast of characters were wonderful. But I had some issues with Kaidan. *gasp* I know. He's dreamy. I can see that. But seriously. He's the son of lust. He's never been loved a day in his life. He doesn't know what it means to love. He makes this very clear. The only thing I appreciated about him was that he answered all of Anna's questions and never claimed to do anything "for her own good." Well, maybe he did once - but that really was for her own good and it wasn't a situation where he took away Anna's control "for her own good." It's clear they have a connection, but really it's one of those situations where I can't see it ever working out. Especially because she'd basically have to put up with him hooking up with other girls all the time, just because of who he is. Nope. Can't get on the Kaidan fan wagon. SORRY.

There were moments in this book where I was wondering if the extraneous information was necessary. It's a long book and I definitely feel like it didn't need to be that long. There are some things I feel could have been cut or condensed. Particularly in the first 100 pages or so. But even with my few problems with this book, I definitely enjoyed reading it. I'm very excited for the next installment in the trilogy and I'm anxious to find out more about Anna and the other demon children.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I don't want to give you all another review of Insurgent. It's a huge book right now, plenty of other people have already written great reviews. Here are my thoughts in a couple sentences: I thought it was awesome, it made me cry, and it left me screaming for book three. I love Four and Tris, but I could also probably rant about their relationship for hours. But this was a stellar second book in the Divergent series. If you want to read other Insurgent reviews, I'd suggest checking these out:Refracted Light Reviews ::: Book and a Latte ::: Good Choice Reading ::: YA Book Bridges ::: The Life of Fiction :: Sash and Em

What I do want to talk about here is revolution. I'm going to warn you now that if you haven't read Divergent, you should probably stop reading this post (because I'll probably spoil a few things) and go read the book instead.

I came to this topic because of my mother. She's currently editing her novel that is set during the Russian Revolution and she was reading passages to me that involve chaos and terror. My mom's a brilliant writer, so I was actually brought to tears, and it wasn't just because these characters were in the middle of something violent that they couldn't control but because those characters are representative of real people who actually had to endure such terror. We got to talking about revolution and she brought up her conflicted emotions when, last fall, she was writing these scenes and people were calling for revolution in the States. She questioned whether people really understand what revolution really is.

Which is where I want to go with this. What is revolution? Its goal is to overthrow a system or government or a radical change in social structure (adapted from dictionary.com). These things don't just happen and rarely do they happen peacefully. But the idea of it, I think, has become an ideal. Something that we hold as a possibility. Something that we all hold on to. Other people have been able to rise up and change things in the past, so if we need to, we could do it again. Through history and literature, the notion has become a romantic and hopeful possibility. But I think it's important that revolution is also coupled with this chaos and terror that is so often glossed over. For every man who dies an honorable death, there are, at least, handful of people left to mourn him. A handful of people who have to adjust to devastation and loss.

As much as we all hope for it, peace on Earth isn't likely. We all have different ideas and values, which doesn't always lend itself to sharing and hugs. But we can't wage war over every disagreement. So where do you draw the line between just being unhappy with the current structure and instigating an overthrow of that structure? When is revolution called for?

So coming back to Insurgent, I can't help but wonder if revolution was the answer here. Maybe Tris and Four aren't exactly leading a revolution, since they were victims of the first overthrow of power, but they act like revolutionaries. They spend the book finding refuge where they can and planning ways to change the order of power. There were a lot of hard decisions everyone had to make. After Erudite kind of takes control everyone is sort of suspended in inaction. The Dauntless faction reached a point where they had to do something and I really can't imagine what else they'd do. But when it culminates in assembling troops and rebelling with violence, I felt very uncomfortable. Because here's the other thing - people wind up on different sides for different reasons - and sometimes an individual may not be getting all the information. Their choice in alliance can be innocent, uninformed, or maybe even passive. Yet, when it comes to revolution, everyone is exposed to violence. I'm sorry if this is slightly spoilery, but I promise it won't completely alter the book if you haven't read it yet - but the moment a minor character who's allowed a few quips and lines, enough to make him a real person, is killed and they barely bat an eyelash, I became angry with the characters in the book.

I'm bordering on rambling here, so I'm going to wrap this up - but what I want to say is Insurgent really got me thinking about the way revolution is portrayed in literature. We read this story through Tris, who was trained in Dauntless, who believes in action and so in some ways there are violent actions that are glorified. In other ways, it is depicted as tragic. But when that minor character dies and it barely registers in the story line, I have to wonder if it's a desensitization to the tragedy and chaos that accompanies revolution. His death is glossed over, chalked up to the cost of revolution, and somehow that cost is deemed worth the outcome.

So the system wasn't working, and their aren't a lot of options. I really don't know what other choices there are to make in situations like this - but I think it's important to keep in mind that even in fictional representations of revolution, those people still represent others who have actually lived through such horror. It's not glamorous. It's not always worth the cost.

These are just a few thoughts I thought I'd put out there. What do you think about the way revolution is portrayed? I'd really like to know your thoughts.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Kopano from Sweet Evil

This book was one of those cases where I'm pretty sure I was rooting for the wrong guy. Because I completely adored Kopano. He has this incredibly intense background, but he's managed to get away from that and rise above it. Of all the Nephilim, he's the only one who seems to have a handle on controlling his temptation. Plus, he's sweet and patient. And despite his nature, he's actually kind and considerate. He showed some interest in Anna, and I really wish more would have been done with that. I mean, he can't really compare to the son of lust, but he's by far the healthier choice in this situation.
I'm not crazy. I get why someone - especially teens - go for the hot guy who's all temptation and tortured soul. Most time I prefer the bad boy - sometimes that's hard to resist. Generally I would have cheered Kaidan on through the whole book. But, I don't know. Something about Kopano got to me. I think it's that he knows how things are and he's trying to do what's best for everyone else. He's not first on his list of people to take care of. He's there to watch over everyone, keep them in check, and keep them from getting into trouble with the wrong people.

I so hope Kopano gets a bigger role in the next book, because I definitely want to see more of him.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Welcome to my stop on the Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Portrait of a Book. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

Whats up for grabs here? One winner will receive their choice of one of the following books:

The details:

One (1) winner will receive one (1) book of his/her choice from the three pictured above.

You must be 13 or older to enter.

This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.

This contest will run until May 23.

Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.

Synopsis: Eight years afterGraceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.(From Goodreads)

The wait for Bitterblue was so worth it. I've fallen so in love with the world Kristin Cashore has created. Every time one of her stories ends and I'm pulled back out of that world, I mourn a little. I love the Gracelings, but it was really kind of cool that this time around the main character was ordinary. I mean, other than the fact that she's the queen of her own country, she doesn't have a grace like Katsa, and she's not a monster like Fire. She doesn't have any extra power to help her out. Still, she's incredibly smart, she's determined, and she's fierce in her own right. I was really proud of who Bitterblue turned out to be.

Bitterblue has the daunting task of rebuilding her country after her father's destructive reign. Her job is even harder since everyone is still trying to protect her, they keep secrets from her, and most just flat out lie to her. She has this group of people she is supposed to be able to trust, but once she starts seeking out the truth she figures out that there are very few people she can actually rely on. I have to give props to Bitterblue, because she never stopped trying to figure out what was real and what atrocities her father committed - she kept on digging for the truth, even as it got worse and more painful as she went along. She went to extraordinary lengths to right the wrongs of King Leck and to give back whatever had been taken. Some of the passages in which Bitterblue discovers the things her father was up to were some of the hardest things I've read in YA lit, but they're important. That could have easily been glossed over, but Cashore doesn't shy away from the grittier aspects that often get lost in historical record - especially when it's so close that people don't want to remember.

The characters in this book are beautiful. Even the evil ones are written so well. There's motive, history, and futures surrounding each character, no matter how small. Everyone is important and integral to the plot, even if they don't actually make physical appearances. So impressive. I loved seeing Katsa and Po a little bit father down their own story line and seeing that they are still a huge part of Bitterblue's life. I loved Teddy and Saf - the boys she meets in her nighttime wanderings that lead her to story rooms (I loved the story rooms - can we please make these real things?). After she catches them stealing a gargoyle from the castle wall (who steals gargoyles?) I knew they'd have a special place in my heart. Teddy loves words and books, so he's awesome - and Saf has a Robin Hood complex and I love him for that.

The ending wasn't as resolved as I would have hoped. I was let down at the end and I couldn't figure out why it was so unsatisfying. Then I realized it was just because it was over. I don't even think an epilogue detailing the way all the characters end up in the end would have tied it up for me. I want to read Bitterblue's entire life in detail. I never wanted it to end. If I could slip between the pages and disappear into this world, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Synopsis: Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated. (From Goodreads)

This book is completely adorable. I found myself reading this straight through, just because I was so wrapped up in Charlotte's life and the different paths all of her relationships are taking. I wasn't completely expecting the music and band element, but that was a nice surprise. I always like when characters are able to come out of their shells in a big way, and gaining the courage to sing in front of other people is definitely a great way to show that transformation.

I loved that this book isn't straightforward. It doesn't have a formula or a point A to point B kind of plot line. Charlotte's life feels real and a little messy. She tries something out and it doesn't work. She tests out a direction and realizes it's not taking her where she wants to go and she turns back. She gets lost quite often - both figuratively and literally - but she uses the people in her life as guide posts to find her way back. One of my favorite scenes in this book is one where Charlotte and her best friend, Trip, are wandering around a residential area and they get lost, compose a song about Hansel and Gretel and how they used bread crumbs to find their way back, and in the process find themselves un-lost. That scene is kind of the epitome of the whole book, and I kind of like it as a metaphor for life too. Some times you do get lost, but if you're lucky, you have someone there with you to turn it into an experience and to help you figure out where you need to go.

My only issue with this book was the way that girl friends are portrayed. Obviously, this came up, given the title. I knew there'd be some sort of comparison between being friends with boys and being friends with girls. Both gave her problems, but the boys always chilled pretty quickly and those problems were resolved pretty well. The girls in this book though, had pretty much no redeeming qualities. They were either fake, or scattered, self involved, uncommitted, or catty. A couple might have been leaning towards okay by the end, but they still had that image slapped onto them. I have to say that there are some girls who make pretty awesome friends and I kind of wish all those relationships hadn't just been dismissed.

I also have to say that once I hit the last four pages, I kid you not, I literally read each page twice because I didn't want it to end. Then I finished it and read those four pages all together two more times. I was grinning like crazy and I went to bed feeling so happy. Just thinking about them now, makes me giddy. Ah, so cute. I definitely loved this book, and especially coming into summer, this is a great one to read and lift your spirits.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Not only does The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab come out in paperback today, but to celebrate its release, "The Ash-Born Boy" is finally up over at Disney*Hyperion's website!

So what IS "The Ash-Born Boy"?

It's a free story that Victoria wrote as a thank you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer one question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"

Now, if you've already read The Near Witch, "The Ash-Born Boy" is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven't read The Near Witch yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should read Cole's story!

And if you want to wait and read The Near Witch first, it's no problem. Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free.

AND

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, The Archived, which doesn't come out until January!

So what are you waiting for?

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of The Near Witch!

This week's topic is: Top Ten Authors Who Should Have Their Own TV Show

I love this week's topic. To me authors pretty much are celebrities, so I definitely think some of them should be on TV. I'm thinking either these people should all be thrown together in some sort of Survivor scenario. Possibly, they'd all be great in a Saturday Night Live situation. Or like The Real World for literary people. That'd be sweet. But I'd be content if these people just had their own talk shows.

1. Sarah Rees Brennan

The first person that came to mind when I saw this weeks topic was Sarah Rees Brennan. I've actually thought this for a long time. She's completely hilarious, pretty much uncensored and quite clever. I met her at YallFest in Charleston last fall, and she just has amazing energy and charisma. Someone NEEDS to give this woman her own show.

2. Karsten Knight

The second person that came to mind. After watching his YA Rebel and other YouTube videos you'll get it too. He's always entertaining and my stomach always hurts from laughing for three minutes straight. Plus, he's not bad to look at...ya know?

3. Myra McEntire

I've loved Myra McEntire since I became aware that Hourglass existed. I've been a loyal twitter follower and reader of her blog (and books of course). She's always fun and sometimes a little serious. But it was this conversation between Myra and Rachel Hawkins that leads me to say - these two should host their own show together.

4. Rachel Hawkins

See reasoning for Myra McEntire, above.

5. Shelley Coriell

After reading Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe and knowing that Chloe lives in her brain I'm pretty sure she would be delightful on a TV show.

6. Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer is adorable. I met her at YallFest too and she has an amazing presence. Also, in the final competition between authors, she did an awesome job playing an evil teacher who walked around with a raven on her shoulder. I also believe she was one of the people who coined the term, "sexy times." So that could be fun.

7. John Green

Well, he already kind of has his own TV show. I don't think I need to explain...

I think Kiersten is one of those cases where I like the books so much because the author rocks. She's got a huge personality and I love the things she says. Plus, all the "bleeping" would probably make my life.

10. Kirsten Hubbard

I definitely think Kirsten Hubbard should have a traveling show in which she periodically reads from Wanderlove and/or says wisdomous things that come from travel experiences. Yeah? Anybody else?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today it's all about:

Johanna from Insurgent

There weren't too many new characters in the follow up to Divergent, but I found the leader Amity was a great addition to this world. Don't get me wrong, half of the book she drove me up a wall - but I think she's supposed to. She's a more passive person and the story is narrated by Tris, and "passive" is not in her vocabulary. Mostly, I think I like her because she's created as a representative of the Amity faction, a faction that only makes a very brief appearance in Divergent. During the whole blogger challenge in the lead up to Insurgent's release, I was definitely Team Amity. It's kind of a hippie faction - peace loving, tree hugging and all. So between their absence in the first book and my own allegiance to the faction, I was so curious about their role in Insurgent.

So that's were Johanna comes in. She is the spokesperson for Amity. All of Amity makes their decisions together and Johanna relays those decisions. She's also the one who brings things to the faction to be discussed. Of course, no faction is perfect, so we also find out through her what those imperfections are. But the real reason I think Johanna is so important in this book is in her polar opposition to Tris. Even though we don't really know too much about Johanna, I'm willing to bet that the things she and Tris have in common could be counted on a hand. Yet, when it comes down to the wire, they are on the same side working for the same thing. Both are characters you can root for, they just take different approaches to solve a problem.

I can imagine that Johanna has a really great story and knowing she has a story - a past that's shaped her into who she is and where she is headed - is what makes her a great secondary character worth talking about.